Wednesday, 22 June 2011

The Debate: Kids and Chores–Part 3

Be it resolved that the truth of kids doing chores is: ‘we all need to work as a family.’

How do you know that’s true?--it’s self-evident: it’s our home and we need to work together for it to be peaceful and healthy

A bit of a circle of logic, there, but how ‘healthy’ is it to put kids in a position of opposition to the people they need to live? How peaceful is it to order people around? How peaceful do you find resistance and rebellion?--we’re all equal in our home

Y’are not. Who selects which chores are really on the list? Who has veto?--well, someone has to lead!

Doubtless. Does it always get to be the same person?

‘Leadership’ engages voluntary cooperation. Dictatorship engages ‘doesn’t matter how you feel about it’ obedience (and resistance and rebellion.) What do you do when they choose not to participate?

Perhaps more importantly, what are they allowed to do when you choose not to participate?

Aha! Okay, now I get it. Yes, that's a very good point. I think my daughter definitely has one up on me in the spaz department when she doesn't get her way but I could be wrong about that. :-)I'm not a believer in punishment so we basically just express our displeasure and frustration openly and then go on our merry way. And that goes both ways - parent and child.